Line by Line - Verse 19, Lines 1-2

If we could renounce our sageness and discard our wisdom, it would be better for the people a hundredfold.
~ James Legge translation, from The Sacred Books of the East, 1891 ~

Give up sainthood, renounce wisdom,
And it will be a hundred times better for everyone.
~ Gia-fu Feng and Jane English translation, published by Vintage Books, 1989 ~

End sagacity; abandon knowledge
The people benefit a hundred times
~ Derek Lin translation, from Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths, 2006 ~

Get rid of sanctity.
People will understand the truth and be happier.
~ Ron Hogan rendition, from Beatrice.com, 2004 ~

The key words in these first two lines of Verse 19 obviously can be interpreted in a variety of ways. Legge prefers sagacity/wisdom. Feng & English go with sainthood/wisdom. Lin picks sagacity/knowledge. Jonathan Star references holiness/cleverness. Red Pine opts for wisdom/reason. Victor H. Mair sees it as sagehood/cunning. And R.B. Blakney's translation reads as

Get rid of the wise men!
Put out the professors!
Then people will profit
A hundredfold over.

Whichever pair one chooses, they each seem to fly in the face of contemporary thought! Underlying these messages is the idea that humans -- in their natural state -- possess intuitive understanding. When we embrace the Way, there is no need consciously to plot out our lives; we do what needs to be done at the appropriate time and then we move on to the next thing.

Note: I didn't include Ron Hogan in the above list simply because his version is a interpretation of another person's translation.

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